Mar 26, 2016

A new pattern is available for this quilt! It is my first pattern - and this quilt is a great showcase for the beautiful, vintage Yukata cotton blocks that you see featured here. (blocks are 12 inches each)

Yukata - a type of Japanese summer kimono - is all cotton and hand-dyed in a workshop in Japan. The color is pulled through the fabric as its dyed, so you can use either side of this gorgeous fabric.

The pattern is $5.00. I also have kits with three pieces of Yukata fabric to make this quilt. If you want more info or have a questions, leave me a comment or send an email to teresa at third floor quilts dot com.

Mar 23, 2016

My poor blog has been neglected while I pour all of my energy into the research and writing for my second book. My quiltmaking has also been neglected. I've been literally glued to my chair and computer for weeks on end... my body aches from sitting... but I love this work!

So I decided to stand for a while and use my cutting table to edit my manuscript.

As I did, it occurred to me what an odd way of working this must be to some.

Not a bit of this scene was staged... I literally laid my pen next to my rotary cutter and my fabric, ruler and latest blocks are all still there... gently waiting for me to come back. Soon!

Manuscript due early July! Then I will have the summer to relax. I'm sure most of you can relate.

Mar 3, 2016

Maybe I'm motivated by the first signs of Spring! I've decided to bring out some of my old quilts. This "vintage" quilt of mine is a Lone Star pattern, made in Baltimore era reproduction fabrics. It happens to be one of my favorites from my hand quilting days!

There are quite a few wrinkles... and you can see a definite crease where its been folded for the past decade. Our quilts deserve better treatment than we give them (or at least my quilts do - I'm sure some of you are very good about preserving your quilts), This one needs to lay flat for a while, for sure. Just like the museums do, these "old" quilts need to be taken out and refolded, or better yet, lay them flat.

And of course, I wish I had labeled all my quilts at the time I made them. My best guess on this one is that I probably finished it sometime around 2001-02.